The British Government and Her
by Dreamin
Summary: A pair of exes meet again at a crime scene. Salcroft


A/N: Inspired by a prompt from penalty waltz: "exes meeting again after not speaking for years au." Takes place about a year after S4, but Mary's alive.

* * *

"Sergeant, this is my brother, Mycroft. Mycroft, this is Sgt. Sally-"

"Donovan," Mycroft said tersely. "We've met."

Sherlock raised an eyebrow. "When?"

"While you were playing dead," Sally said.

"I always miss something," Sherlock muttered. "You're Her." He said the word like it was capitalized.

"'Her?'" Sally asked her ex-boyfriend, unable to hide her amusement. "I have a title?"

"Must we?" Mycroft asked in his most put-upon tone. "There is an international incident to prevent, after all."

"Yes, we'll get right on that," John said, smirking. "But we'll need to hear the story of the British Government and Her sometime."

"Sometime soon," Mary added, grinning. "The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

* * *

As soon as the bad guys were caught, John insisted that everyone go home and get some sleep, doctor's orders. Sally was going to go back to the Yard with Greg but he waved her off, telling her he'd take care of everything. Since she had ridden to the hide-out with Greg, Sherlock and the Watsons insisted that Mycroft take her home.

As soon as the car door closed, Sally turned to her ex, smiling a bit. "Never thought we'd be doing this again."

Mycroft raised an eyebrow. "Sharing my car?"

"Being within two miles of each other."

The barest hint of a smile crossed his face. "Yes, well, needs must."

"Uh huh." She looked him over. "You look good, Mike. I mean it," she added when he started to protest. "You've lost a stone since I last saw you."

"Thank you," he said reluctantly. After a moment's hesitation, he added, "I gained two after you left."

She smiled sympathetically. "Comfort eating?"

He nodded. "And avoiding the treadmill."

"But hey, that means you've lost three stone, that's a big deal, congrats!"

"Thank you." He looked her over. "You haven't changed."

Sally chuckled. "Liar, but thanks. So … what did you tell Sherlock about me? Obviously, not my name."

"Of course not. He was eliminating Moriarty's web, I wasn't about to distract him with the knowledge that I was dating a woman he knew."

"Not to mention someone who'd doubted him." She'd always feel guilty about that. "But you did tell him you were dating."

"I mentioned having a paramour once or twice. It was after you left that I used him as a sounding board."

She smiled fondly. "Your tirades must have been epic."

"I … may … have damned you for existing and myself for ever meeting you."

Sally smirked. "I damned you too. So, now that we're both damned for eternity, what's next?"

"Telling my brother and his goldfish," he corrected himself when she gave him a look, "friends the story of our relationship, I suppose. The price one must pay for cooperation."

"Aww, it's not so bad, Mike," she said, smiling a bit. "We get to relive the most painful night of our lives but then you'll never have to see me again."

Mycroft raised an eyebrow. "It was the most painful night of your life?"

"Break-ups are always bad but ours was the worst. Cleaned out the corner store of its Cherry Garcia afterwards and listened to my Sad Songs playlist on endless repeat. Ended up gaining half a stone, that's when I hit the gym. Took all my frustrations out on a punching bag or three. Consequentially, I lost the half-stone and haven't touched Cherry Garcia since."

He smirked. "Your willpower is, as always, extraordinary."

She watched him for a moment. "You know, Mike, you could've just said you didn't want to go to the pub with me and my friends, or to Brighton with me and my family, you didn't have to say you had to work every time."

"But I did…" he started to protest feebly.

Sally smiled a bit. "I know your job's important. England would fall without you, all that. But I find it really hard to believe you were needed every time I wanted to show you off. Next time, just say you don't want to go."

Mycroft raised an eyebrow. "Next time?"

She shrugged, grinning. "What can I say? Seeing you again reminds me of what I've been missing." Sally held out her hand. "What do you say to giving it another try? We'll be open and honest with each other this time." She smirked. "As much as the safety of the free world will allow, anyway."

"Honesty and openness are, admittedly, foreign concepts to me, but ones I am willing to explore." He shook her hand then brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"Still got that palace of yours?" she murmured. "I remember being particularly attached to your bed."

He smirked. "Not to mention the sofa, the chair, the kitchen counter. I finished the kitchen remodel last month."

Sally laughed. "The world's longest kitchen remodel is finally done? Forget the bed, that I have to see."

"Mmm, perhaps we could do both?"

"There's the Mycroft I used to know."


End file.
